New Public Safety Headquarters to Be Built

July 25, 2011

After spending years in a building with leaking pipes, broken air
condition and asbestos, the county’s police officers and firefighters
will get a new headquarters. The new HQ, which will replace the 44-year
old Massey Building, will rise up next to the Herrity
Building where the baseball field is today.

The new headquarters is the building shown
at the far left, along with the new garage in front of the HQ.
(Click for High-Res Version)

A new headquarters is badly needed since Massey continues to
deteriorate, and the new eight-story building will give the police and fire departments the space
they need in the future.

The building also will be green. It’s environmentally friendly features
may include water and energy efficient fixtures and equipment and a green
roof. The building will be designed to maximize the natural light that
reaches the interior, which helps reduce energy use. Because the building
is just starting to be designed, it’s unclear what green elements will be
included, but it is planned for LEED Silver certification, per the
county’s green
building policy. The new HQ will be the
county’s 11th green building.

It will be built to meet the fire and police departments’ needs in 2030.
This means the building will accommodate up to 700 employees compared to
the approximately 463 in the Massey Building. The new HQ also includes
850 secured parking spaces.

Besides additional space, the building will help strengthen the close
working relationship between the two departments.

"The Police and Fire and Rescue Departments enjoy a unique
partnership, one that enhances the public safety of Fairfax County,” said
Police Chief Dave Rohrer. “One of the most exciting prospects about this
planned new facility is the County’s commitment to design and build a
truly joint police and fire headquarters with the adequate space and
facilities to improve and expand our opportunities to work
collaboratively on public safety issues.”

For example, the building will have shared space for medical facilities,
gym and interview rooms.

The building will serve more than just public safety, however. The
Department of Information Technology will move the county’s primary data
center into the new HQ. The center will be a separate facility but
connected to the headquarters.

The decision to construct a new headquarters was made carefully,
especially as the county continues to face constrained budgets.

As an alternative, top county leaders considered renovating the Massey
Building. However, this option didn’t make financial sense.

Preliminary estimates for rehabbing Massey amounted to at least $87
million. This compares to $149 million for the new HQ. And, a renovated
Massey Building still wouldn’t give police and fire the space they needed
for future growth.

“The Massey Building has served the county well for almost 44 years,
however, with ongoing failures of the core building mechanical systems
and overall infrastructure, along with the ever presence of asbestos, it
is no longer a safe and dependable work environment for our dedicated
employees,” said Fire Chief Ronald Mastin. “It has outlived its useful
purpose.”

The problems with Massey are numerous. It is sheathed in asbestos, which
was a standard fireproofing material used in the 1960s. The asbestos also
makes it difficult, if not impossible, to make repairs. The building’s
electrical system is overloaded, and the heating and cooling system is so
old that replacement parts often can’t be found.

For the next four years, however, Massey will continue to be home to
police and fire staff. The new building won’t ready until 2015, and after
staff move in, the Massey Building which will be torn down.